For those who are new to flying, just getting through the airport and onto your aircraft can be stressful.
Potential delays in getting to the airport, long security lines, and delayed or canceled flights may all combine to turn what should be a straightforward, sometimes joyful task into a hassle.
And that’s even before you consider the potential contents of your boarding ticket.
Given how the world has changed in recent decades, I believe we can all agree that airport security is a good thing. I, for one, do not mind going through an extra check every now and again and standing in line for a few minutes longer if it means ensuring that nothing that should not be on a commercial airline ends up up there.
Nonetheless, I can understand why some people get upset when they find themselves unexpectedly removed from lines and subjected to stringent security measures. If you have nothing to conceal, it is just a time-consuming inconvenience that you would rather avoid.
This is why you should carefully examine your ticket the next time you receive your boarding pass when going from or to the United States.
According to rumors, certain boarding cards will have a “SSSS” number engraved on them, indicating that airport security will be more interested in you than usual.
Keep in mind that this does not imply that you did anything illegal; rather, you were “randomly selected” to be subjected to a greater level of protection.
Jordyn Verzera, a travel influencer, posted a TikTok video in 2024 when her partner and fellow content producer, JT Mocarski, discovered he had the code on his ticket.
Verzera’s caption read, “On flights to and from the United States, you can be “randomly” selected to undergo a much higher level of security.”
@themobilehomie Here’s what SSSS means⬇️ SSSS stands Secondary Security Screening Selection. Basically, on flights to/from the US you can get “randomly” selected to undergo a much higher level of security. For him, this meant separating all of his things from mine, pulling absolutely everything out of his bag, swabbing everything, and then making sure that his laptop turned on (so they could inspect it). Any questions about SSSS? Drop them below⬇️ & follow @themobilehomie for all things travel! 🔎 What does SSSS mean? 🔎 What is SSSS? #ssss #travelfails #travelreality #traveltips #traveltip ♬ original sound – Jordyn & JT | Budget Travel✈️
“For my partner, this meant separating all of his things from mine, pulling absolutely everything out of his bag, swabbing everything, and then making sure that his laptop turned on (so that they could inspect it).”
The acronym SSSS appears to stand for “Secondary Security Screening Selection.” Those unfortunate enough to have the initialism on their ticket could expect more scrutiny from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Others shared their experiences in the TikTok video’s comments section.
“This happened to me the last time I flew out to see my best friend; the TSA scanned my phone and made a copy of all my texts, app messages, pictures, etc.,” a colleague commented.
“The whole thing was weird and violating, but I guess the TAS can enjoy all the close-up shots of weird pimples I can’t regularly see lol.”
“I never understood this algorithm—I got SSSS, and I’m a veteran and 20-year federal employee,” said another.
Another replied, “I was flagged all the time because I used to fly solo before I turned 18.”
Have you ever written “SSSS” on your boarding pass? Please let us know in the comments.